


Rise Again with the music

by Saku801



Category: Uta no Prince-sama
Genre: Dating, M/M, Music, New Relationship, Reiji is conflicted, Uta No Gay Sama, tsundere Ranmaru
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-14
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-08-08 16:14:25
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7764529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saku801/pseuds/Saku801
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I didn't say anything because I was scared to break up Quartet Night!" Reiji looked at Ranmaru with emotion filled eyes.<br/>"You know I'd go solo if given the chance." Ranmaru replied with a curt tone.<br/>"Exactly!  We work well as a group! Your hard rock tone, AiAi's sweet girlish tone, Myu-chan's low clear tone and my happy tone! Our voices together create something amazing and I don't want to break that!" Reiji replied, his heart full of conflict.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Suppression/Realization

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was inspired by the song Rise Again and took a turn for the kind of fic that progresses slow but is sweet at the same time. I hope you'll stick with it as I slowly update it! Rated explicit for upcoming chapters.
> 
> This is is part of a string of fics that have the following couples:  
> Tokiya/Masato (link to come)  
> Ren/Camus (link to come)  
> Natsuki/Cecil (link to come)  
> All the fics are in the same universe but may be read alone as the references to the other fics are not huge.

As usual with the entertainment industry, rumors circulated and tabloids printed them. Reiji would look at them every so often, yet never really took them seriously. There was one article however that caught his eye. ‘Quartet Night member acts sexually on stage’ was the title. Upon seeing this Reiji raised and eyebrow and his heart raced a little, as he knew what he was about to read. He swallowed hard and read the article. It was regarding their performance last week and focused on him. He and Ranmaru had sung their duet song Rise Again, and his actions in particular during their performance were rather suggestive. The article had a photo of him and Ranmaru singing into the same microphone, Reiji grasping the stand with one hand and his other lay on Ranmaru’s thigh. He straddled the stand suggestively as well. His gaze was clearly not towards the audience, but instead the one he was singing with. Reiji clicked his tongue in annoyance at both himself and the article.

 

“Singling me out like that…” He frowned as he looked at the hand that touched Ranmaru’s thigh. He recalled that in the same concert Camus and Ai had held hands for a moment on stage while doing their duet. The song had a more male/female dynamic thanks to Ai’s unique voice, but it still bothered Reiji that the two’s actions were ignored.

 

“This is going to be a headache…” He closed the magazine and put it on the coffee table in the room he shared with Tokiya and Otoya. He stood up and headed out of the room to go to one of the practice rooms. He found an empty one and plugged his CD into the player. He selected the one song he desperately wanted to practice. Rise Again was the song him and Ranmaru wrote the lyrics for together. The idea for the song was to ignite the passion in their fans hearts. The meaning the song took on for Reiji however had deviated from the original idea. His motivation for passionately singing this song was none other than Ranmaru. He sung in a way that his passion was dedicated to Ranmaru, and that definitely showed in their most recent performance. His heart ached because he couldn’t act on his feelings, but he couldn’t risk breaking up Quartet Night. The group meant too much to him and he didn’t want to screw things up. He thought that Ranmaru would never return his feelings in the same way, and use the opportunity to leave the group, which he had made it clear he wanted to do previously.

Once he finished singing he heaved a long sigh. Of course he was going to get questioned for his actions especially if Ranmaru saw the article, but he was unsure of what to say in return. His impulsive actions has landed him in this situation and he was lost at a way to deal with it.

 

“Oi, Reiji.” A booming voice shattered his thoughts as he looked towards the door.

 

“Ran-Ran?” Of all the people who could have entered the room, there stood Ranmaru in the doorway.

 

“I saw that article.” Was the first thing he said, getting right to the point.  “Didn’t realize you did that at the concert.”

 

“Yeah…” Reiji nervously looked at Ranmaru.

 

“Is there something you want to tell me?” He looked at the brown haired male with a knowing expression.

 

“Not really.” Reiji tried to play it off and went to the CD player to grab the disc.

 

“So then who were you thinking about, straddling the mic and looking at me with such a passionate gaze?” Ranmaru leaned against the door he just closed, not allowing the other male to leave until he got an answer.

 

"I didn't say anything because I was scared to break up Quartet Night!" Reiji looked at Ranmaru with emotion filled eyes.

 

"You know I'd go solo if given the chance." Ranmaru replied with a curt tone.

 

"Exactly!  We work well as a group! Your hard rock tone, AiAi's sweet girlish tone, Myu-chan's low clear tone and my happy tone! Our voices together create something amazing and I don't want to break that!" Reiji replied, his heart full of conflict.

 

“Yet you act out like that?” Ranmaru barked back. He was surprised that Reiji had the same sentiments he had for the group. Ranmaru treasured Quartet Night, as despite their differences they all worked well together when it really mattered.

 

“…” Reiji didn’t have an answer.

 

“You thought I wouldn’t notice with you basically screaming for me to do so?”

 

“I… don’t know.” Reiji grasped the CD case, looking at the floor.

 

 “You don’t?” Ranmaru urged him on.

 

“I do! But…” Reiji didn’t want to tell Ranmaru how he felt in such a situation but now it seemed inevitable.

 

“You’re attracted to me.” Ranmaru stated.

 

“Y-Yeah…” Reiji admitted in a dejected tone, staring at the floor as his cheeks burned red.

 

“And you think your feelings are going to break up Quartet Night?”

 

“My feelings change the dynamic of our group!” Reiji argued back.

 

“How so?” Ranmaru replied with a cruel smile.

 

“H-How?” Reiji approached Ranmaru and finally looked into his mismatched eyes. “Because I like you, you dumbass! These feelings get in the way of performing properly! Our duet lyrics… I don’t see them as a love to our fans like it was meant to be. I see my feelings for you in our lyrics.” He stood nearly against the other male with a hurt expression in his redden face.

 

“So what do you want to do about those feelings?” Ranmaru proposed yet another question.

 

“Stop with the interrogation!” Reiji grasped Ranmaru’s vest, the CD crashing to the ground. “I told you how I feel! Answer me already!”

 

Ranmaru looked into Reiji’s born orbs for a moment. “You want an answer?” his words were cold.

 

“Are you afraid of getting attached?” Reiji questioned him. “I know what happened with your last group, okay?!” Quartet Night is different, I’m different! My feelings won’t fade and I won’t leave you when things get tough. Stop being so cold and distant!” Reiji let go of the others vest and wrapped his arms around Ranmaru’s torso.

 

Ranmaru was quiet while he processed Reiji’s words, shocked at the sudden outburst. As Reiji’s warmth enveloped him he could feel tears welling up in his eyes. They began to overflow and his shoulders shook. He had no idea why Reiji's actions had moved him to tears, but there was nothing he could to to stop them.

 

“RanRan?” Reiji looked at the other with a surprised expression and a small smile.

 

“Just shut it.” Ranmaru wrapped one arm around Reiji’s shoulders, keeping the other from seeing his face. They stayed like that for a few moments until Ranmaru let go.

 

“You okay, RanRan?” Reiji barely moved away from the other as he asked.

 

Ranmaru didn’t answer and instead bent down to pick up the CD, discreetly wiping his face in the process.

 

“Since I’m here why don’t we practice?” He want to put the CD back into the player.

 

“So you’re ignoring me? Reiji sighed, going to one of the mics in the room.

 

“Let’s just practice, okay? Which track is Rise Again?”

 

“The first.” Reiji sighed. “So I don’t get an answer?”

 

“Give me some time. Stop being so demanding of me.” Ranmaru replied, slight annoyance lacing his tone.

 

“Fine.” Reiji gave up as he heard the music start.

 

Ranmaru seemed a little different and almost distant as they sang. Reiji on the other hand was his usual passionate, smiling self. As the song ended, Ranmaru sighed and began walking towards the door.

 

“RanRan?” Reiji questioned as he watched the other go towards the door. Ranmaru didn’t look back and just left the room.

 

“Ohh no… what have I done?” Reiji’s heart tightened in his chest as the door loudly closed behind the silver haired male.

 

 

***

 

 

Ranmaru went to his room and flopped onto the bed with a sigh. He had noticed how Reiji had been acting for the past couple of months and had wondered if he was reading the situation correctly. Quartet Night meant more to him than he let on, and he would never be the one to break up the group. He trusted each member more than he let on, but kept his cold and distant façade to keep from getting hurt. Reiji had seen right through that, and seen just what Quartet Night meant to him. Reiji’s confession wasn’t unexpected yet he was still taken off guard.

 

“Love, huh?” He looked up at the ceiling and bit his lip a little. He knew after walking out like that he couldn’t avoid the issue much longer, but he needed to get his thoughts and feelings in order.

 

 

***

 

 

After Ranmaru left, Reiji lost the will to do anymore practicing. He grabbed his CD and set out for Camus’s room.

 

“Hey… Myu-chan…” Reiji knocked on the door and waited for his group member to answer.

 

“Yeah?” The stoic man opened the door a moment later.

 

“Can… we talk?” Reiji looked apologetically at the other male.

 

“Of course.”  The younger male let him in. Reiji sat down on the sofa and just looked at Camus.

 

Silence passed for a moment before Reiji spoke up. “Myu-chan… I have a problem…”

 

“And why are you about to tell me about it?” Camus sat across from the one with brown hair.

 

“Because you and Ai are together! Why is it so acceptable?” He blurted out.

 

“What?” Camus blankly stared back.

 

“You and Ai get close on stage! Closer than Ran-Ran and myself and there’s no issue with it! Yet...” He sighed.

 

“What’s gotten into you?” Camus looked confused.

 

“And then I made RanRan mad…”

 

“Hold on what the heck are you going on about?”

 

“Myu-chan I’m sorry… I know it’s going to hurt Quartet Night because I am who I am and Ran-Ran is… who he is… but I can’t help but being attracted to him. And I didn’t want to segment us even more… because it’s clear the bond you and Ai-Ai share…” Reiji held the CD containing his music tight.

 

“Ai and myself’s bond? And is this about the performance the other day?” Camus still was rather confused. “What are you going on about?”

 

“There’s a magazine article about it… and I’m featured…” Reiji sighed and explained the situation regarding the article.

 

“So you’re saying that you want a different sort of relationship with Ranmaru? But what’s this about me and Ai?”

 

“I tried to be the responsible one but my feelings are too strong to suppress!” Reiji didn’t even tell him about what had just happened with Ranmaru. “And you and Ai are a couple aren’t you?”

 

“Me and Ai? No no. That’s an act on stage. It’s because he has that girlish aura around him. I’m actually dating someone from STARISH.” Camus set things straight with a small smile.

 

“Wah?” Reiji just looked at Camus. “You’re not?”

 

“Nope.” The blond shrugged. “But why are you coming to me for advice anyways? You’re the oldest of the group.”

 

“Doesn’t mean I don’t need help sometimes. You know that I’ve never really been serious about anyone before so this… This is weird.”

 

“You’ve had girlfriends.” Camus stated.

 

“Like I said I’ve never been serious. Those girls approached me!” Reiji retorted.

 

“So you’re a virgin?” Camus inquired, pushing up his glasses.

 

“Just because I wasn’t serious didn’t mean I didn’t fool around sometimes!” Reiji blushed slightly and stood up.

 

“Alright then.” Camus just looked at him. “But if you really want my advice, go tell Ranmaru. You must have noticed that since Quartet Night formed he’s softened up a bit.”

 

“I… Stuff happened and he ran away from me…” Reiji let out a heavy breath.

 

“You already told him?” Camus looked surprised.

 

“Yeah… I wasn’t planning on it but he just showed up…”

 

“I thought you would have more tact.” Camus retorted.

 

“Well sorry! I can’t help that my emotions got the better of me.” Reiji frowned at the other male.

 

“For technically being my Senpai, you’re not sounding cool.”

 

“I’m not trying to, okay. You’re not being helpful. I’ll see you at practice tomorrow.” Reiji sighed defeated.

 

“See you.” Camus nodded as the other left his room.

 

 

***

 

 

Reiji walked into the room he shared with Tokiya and Otoya to find Tokiya and Masato tenderly kissing while sitting on the edge of Tokiya's bed.  He stopped for a moment and watched as Tokiya tenderly caressed Masato's cheek and leaned deeper into their kiss. 

 

"Don't mind me, I’ll have headphones on." Reiji announced as he closed the door behind him, quickly sat on his bed, and put in headphones like he said he would. 

 

"T-tokiya..." Masato gently pushed him away and buttoned his shirt back up. His cheeks burned red. He was embarrassed they had been walked in on. 

 

"He won't pay us any mind, Masa." Tokiya lightly grasped one of Masato's hands and kissed the palm. 

 

"It's the principle of it." Masato stood up and hesitantly pulled his hand away from Tokiya's lips. 

  
"I understand." Tokiya stood up as well and grasped Masato's hand at his side. "Let's try your room then." Tokiya smiled and lead Masato towards the door. 

  
"Kurosaki-san is there." Masato protested, his blush not waning. 

  
"Then there is probably an empty music room, unless you just want to leave it at this..." Tokiya looked seriously at the other, his cheeks also redden, but not quite as much as Masato's. 

  
"I don't want to leave it at this, but there's a time and a place for everything." Masato stated,   looking seriously back at the other. 

  
"Then let's go." Tokiya left with Masato swiftly, the door clicking behind them. 

  
Reiji heard nothing of their conversation as he was playing Rise Again on repeat as tears welled up in his eyes. The lyrics floated through his head as the music played but he couldn’t concentrate. The thoughts of Ranmaru’s rejection hurt him so much and he heaved a sigh.  The song he once loved so much now hurt him more than words could express. He had no idea how he would face the other male tomorrow.

 

 

***

 

 

Come the middle of the night Reiji lay awake, unable to sleep. He couldn’t stop worrying about facing Ranmaru. He sat up and looked out the window at the stars. It was a clear night so he decided to go for a walk to the dormitory’s balcony.

Reiji brought his portable music player and put on Rise Again once more. He was addicted to this song. While he now had conflicted feelings about it, the words deeply communicated his feelings and held special meaning. Ranmaru’s parts were also very suggestive in this nature with lines like “So in love, I don’t want to be apart from you.” Reiji hoped they weren’t empty yet at the same time knew they were. It was just a song after all. He gazed at the night sky as a chilly breeze blew. He began to sing his parts and hum Ranmaru’s. He got through the song once, and it began to loop again.

He began to sing again, and to his surprise, a voice from behind him began to sing familiarly. Reiji didn’t dare turn around to face him, as his heart was burning in his chest. He sung passionately into the wind, and his partner eventually leaned on the railing beside him, facing the building instead of the scenery.

By the end of the song Reiji was looking at Ranmaru out of the corner of his eye, while Ranmaru looking as cold as ever stared at the building.

 

“Ranmaru…” Reiji spoke to him as soon as they were done singing.

 

“Sing it like you mean it, Reiji.” Ranmaru finally looked at him as the looped track began again.

 

“I…”

 

“Just do it. Don’t let your performance suffer.”

 

“…” Reiji looked into Ranmaru’s mismatched eyes as he opened his mouth, meaningfully singing his opening piece.

 

 _Where are you looking towards?_  
It’s so frustrating! Any time  
It’s like trying to grasp the sand  
Piling up within an hour glass…

Ranmaru, with equal force entered into his part, not breaking the eye contact they had.

_Saying words that aren’t like me,_  
I can’t just leave things like this, right?  
Such limitations,

They continued up until after their duet lines and singles. Ranmaru reached out during his first line and gently stroked Reiji’s cheek.

 

 _“Even if I lose everything, I’ll still love only you”_  
_So in love… I don’t want to be apart from you_  
Even if my dreams are ripped to shreds

Reiji’s singing died off and he grasped Ranmaru’s face firmly in his hands. Ranmaru kept singing his part, gazing with an unfamiliar expression into Reiji’s eyes. His expression was softer than usual which gave Reiji the courage to quickly bring their lips together. Reiji kissed the younger male passionately as their music continued to play. Ranmaru embraced Reiji tightly and brought him closer to his body. Ranmaru’s kiss was sloppy, unpracticed, and shaky.

 

“I thought you didn’t reciprocate my feelings, RanRan…” Reiji blushed but smiled happily as he broke their kiss and was held tight by Ranmaru’s strong arms. Ranmaru looked away from the other, his cheeks dusted pink. Reiji smiled at the blushing Ranmaru in front of him.

  
  
"So you found yourself an answer to my feelings?" He gently caressed Ranmaru's cheek, placing a chaste kiss to the other.

  
  
"I can't ignore your feelings." He responded, loosening his embrace on the brown haired male. "But I still don't know how I want to respond."

  
  
"But you’re not against it?"  Reiji questioned, considering he has reciprocated the kiss. He ran a hand through Ranmaru's short locks, clearly flustering him. 

  
  
"Stop being so touchy!" He shoved the other away. 

  
  
"Tell me what conclusion you've come to, RanRan." Reiji looked seriously at him, his arms at his sides, ready to accept the answer no matter what it was. 

  
  
"We'll try it." Ranmaru responded, trying to keep up his cold facade but failing.  "We'll date and see how it goes." 

  
  
"RanRan's so kind and adorable!" Reiji wrapped his arms around the slightly taller man. 

  
  
"But don't get yourself carried away." Ranmaru stated as he patted Reiji's head. 

 

“Not being outright rejected is more than good enough for me~!” Reiji playfully kissed Ranmaru’s jaw, gauging his reaction.

 

“I bet you’ll be able to sleep now.” He ignored the others advances and pushed him off.

 

“It would be better if I could sleep with you~!” Reiji smiled playfully.

 

“Like I said, don’t get carried away. ‘Night.” Ranmaru walked back into the dorm building, leaving Reiji alone on the balcony once more.

 

Reiji smiled and turned off the boom box which had been looping while they were talking. He never had thought Ranmaru would accept his feelings, even a little so this was a welcome development. He nearly was skipping down the hallway he was so happy that he was now dating Ranmaru. When he arrived back in his room he placed the boom box which was Otoya’s back by the boy’s bed.  He got himself back into bed and was able to sleep peacefully until morning, dreaming of Ranmaru.


	2. Exploration/Complication

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reiji and Ranmaru's first date.

Reiji had insisted their first date be at an amusement park, much to Ranmaru’s dismay. He knew Reiji would enjoy it, but he wasn’t too fond of crowded public places that weren’t a concert hall. He also figured that they would get noticed considering Quartet Night’s popularity.

 

Reiji and Ranmaru met in the morning in the dorm lobby. Ranmaru was dressed in a brown shirt with a band logo, dark pants, his usual accessories and a backwards ball cap. Reiji had tied his hair back in a lose ponytail without his usual hat. His shirt was plaid, and his jeans plain. As soon as he saw Ranmaru approach he smiled.

 

“Hey~!” Reiji smiled and grasped onto Ranmaru’s exposed arm.

 

“You all set?” Ranmaru sighed a little at the sudden contact but didn’t push Reiji away.

 

“Yep! Shall we be off?” He looked at his boyfriend with a smile bigger and more sincere than Ranmaru had ever seen.

 

Ranmaru was unsure of how to respond so he merely just started walking, Reiji matching his steps as he refused to let go of his arm.

 

They both sat in the backseat of the vehicle on their way to the amusement park. Reiji shifted a little nervously while twiddling his thumbs.

 

“If you have something to say just do it.” Ranmaru huffed as he noticed Reiji’s movements.

 

“Yeah…” Reiji looked at the male beside him. “I realize this is gonna sound odd, and I’m being really selfish here, but I’ll just come out and say it I guess.” Reiji took a deep breath as Ranmaru’s gaze was fixed on him. “While we’re in the park I want to hold your hand whenever possible, but I don’t want to make you uncomfortable because of it.” He looked at Ranmaru with a blush.

 

“That’s fine, but if I get tired of it I’ll tell you.”

 

“Okay~!” Reiji smiled and hummed as they made their way to the park.

 

Once they arrived, they got all access wrist bands and Reiji tightly grasped Ranmaru's hand at the first chance he got.   
Ranmaru didn't protest, and actually found the other male's touch rather comforting.   
Sure, he had girlfriends before but doing things with them had seemed very annoying.   While he didn't enjoy crowds, he didn't find Reiji's date idea all that bad. He was quite comfortable when spending time with Reiji, likely because of Quartet Night and all the time they had spent together before. There was something that just felt right when Ranmaru had Reiji by his side. 

  
  
Ranmaru found himself enjoying the rides they went on, to his surprise.  Whenever they would get off something and start walking, Reiji would always grab his hand again.  It started feeling rather natural to grasp the others hand in his own. They walked towards some food stalls around noon to get some lunch, however the lines were rather long.  They picked one and decided to wait. 

  
"Are you enjoying yourself?" Reiji questioned, grasping onto the same arm his hand was holding with his other hand. 

  
"It's nice." Ranmaru responded, his tone less cold than usual. 

  
"Glad to hear it~" He rested his head on Ranmaru's shoulder and started humming Poison Kiss loud enough for Ranmaru to hear. He quietly sang his parts, and Ranmaru found himself also singing with his date.   
They were clearly enjoying themselves as they waited for the line to move, but their moment of enjoyment was shattered when they heard a girl say "that IS Reiji!  Quartet Night!" the girl squealed and attempted to approach them. 

  
“Oops..." Reiji sheepishly grinned, looking up at Ranmaru from his shoulder. 

  
"Leave it to you to do something to get us noticed." Ranmaru sighed.  They were rather squished in the line, but the buzz the girl created was spreading. Reiji moved a little away from Ranmaru but still held his hand. It was clear he was antsy now. 

  
"For the record I wasn't the only one who was singing aloud."

  
"But this is the situation we're in now, and we gotta deal with this." 

  
"There!!!" the smiling girl pointed, now only a few people away from the couple.  She had a good amount of other girls with her and they were trying to weave their way through the food lines to get to the boys.  The people around them also seemed excited with the mention of Quartet Night, and someone beside Ranmaru yelled about them being here. 

  
"Shit." Ranmaru clicked his tongue. 

  
"Let's forget about food for now and go." Reiji pulled Ranmaru by the hand out of the line and away from the crowd, but the girls were determined to follow now that they knew what the boys were wearing. 

  
"There they go!" the girls stayed on their trail as Reiji lead them through the park. 

  
"Find somewhere to hide you idiot!" Ranmaru barked. 

  
"Trying!"

  
They entered the hedge maze to get away from the screaming girls, and ended up getting a little lost. Their hands were still tightly clasped together, as Reiji had requested.

 

“We lost them but now we’re lost…” Ranmaru sighed, looking at the one who had gotten them into this mess.

 

“Us being lost isn’t exactly a bad thing though…” Reiji smiled slyly and let go of Ranmaru’s hand.

 

“And why is that?” Ranmaru clicked his tongue as he folded his arms across his chest. They were at a dead end deep within the maze.

 

“Because I finally get some alone time with just you. I thought coming to an amusement park would be fun for us, and would help loosen you up but it’s kinda had the opposite effect…”

 

“Crowded places aren’t that enjoyable.” He shrugged as he lazily leaned against a thick hedge.

 

“I didn’t take that into account, sorry RanRan.” Reiji moved toward the other male and leaned his head against Ranmaru’s shoulder.

 

“It’s not all bad.” Ranmaru added so Reiji didn’t start feeling bad about his decision.

 

“Well that’s good~” Reiji turned his head and gently pressed his lips to Ranmaru's glistening neck.  He gently grasped both of Ranmaru's shoulders with his hands.  Ranmaru turned his head away in embarrassment but allowed Reiji to continue. "Mnnn RanRan~" Reiji mused as he gently sucked Ranmaru's neck, and playfully nibbled at it as well.   
Ranmaru stiffened up and glanced towards Reiji, yet didn’t try to push him away. Reiji then gently licked where his teeth grazed Ranmaru’s neck, causing the pale boy to go a deep shade of pink

 

“Oi, Reiji…” He finally pushed the other man away from him. “Don’t get carried away!”

 

“I couldn’t help myself with you looking all stoic and defenseless…” Reiji teased as Ranmaru blushed and refused to look at him.

  
  
"Now what?" Ranmaru sighed, his stomach growling. He chose to ignore Reiji’s comment.

  
"This park has a sit down restaurant too so that's probably our best bet." Reiji looked at the flustered male beside him. "I'm sorry though.  I got caught up in the mood...  I shouldn't have done something to draw attention to us." 

 

"I also got caught up so you're not completely at fault." Ranmaru reached out and ruffled Reiji's hair. 

  
"RanRan~~" Reiji reached up and grabbed Ranmaru's hat and put it on his own head. 

  
"Mn..." Ranmaru shrugged his shoulders as Reiji entwined their fingers and they slowly found their way out of the maze.  It was less crowded so they quietly made their way to the restaurant Reiji mentioned earlier. He let go of Ranmaru before they entered and returned his hat with a smile.   
They sat across from each other and we're silent until after their orders were made.   
Ranmaru looked almost nervous as he took a sip of his water. 

  
"Don't look so cute in front of me, RanRan...  It makes me want to kiss you..." Reiji smiled, slightly blushing. 

  
"Not in public." Ranmaru stated. 

  
"Meaning I can, later?" Reiji looked hopeful, like a cute puppy wagging his tail. 

  
"We're dating...  And I'm not opposed to doing things couples would do." Ranmaru admitted, crossing his arms and looking away a little. 

  
"RanRan's so adorable!  I'm excited for when we'll be alone. Then I can really make a mess of you~" Reiji poked at Ranmaru's cheek from across the table. 

  
An embarrassed Ranmaru swatted the hand away and pulled his cap down a little. "Don't get too carried away.  Something such as that..." 

  
"So proper and cute!" Reiji beamed while resting both elbows on the table and cupping his face with his hands. 

  
"Stop making fun of me." He barked, trying to hide his blush. 

  
"I'm not.  I'm being honest.  And as a man, I want to physically show you just how much you mean to me."

  
Ranmaru pulled his cap even lower, hiding his face from Reiji. 

  
"You're reactions are so cute I want to keep teasing... "

  
"I'm not your toy, Reiji." He scoffed, his cheeks near crimson. 

  
"But I _know_ I'm the only one who can do this to you." He leaned over the table and lowly spoke "I wanna kiss you so passionately whilst riding the ferris wheel, that you have trouble walking afterwards." Reiji's tone was so seductive and sensual that Ranmaru was at a loss for words.  Reiji's statement was so embarrassing that he was stunned. 

  
Reiji leaned back into his seat. "I've felt like this for a while so there's lots I wanna do with you, RanRan. But I get that there's a gap between our feelings. I hope we can bridge that gap and make us work..." He smiled sadly. 

  
Ranmaru remained silent as his quick heart beat slowed and his cheeks cooled. 

  
"I got carried away...  Sorry." Reiji apologized. 

  
"Mn..." Ranmaru nodded, finally uncrossing his arms and fixing his cap. 

  
Their lunch than arrived, and they ate in relative silence as an odd air surrounded them.  
Once they finished, Reiji was the first to speak. 

  
"I don't mean to make you feel uncomfortable...  And I know I did, and I apologize for that.  We're on a date, we should be having fun. I shouldn't be pushing you into anything that you aren't okay with.  After all you said we would just try and see how this goes." He smiled, but not quite as care free as usual. 

  
"Have some tact if you want someone to take you seriously." Ranmaru huffed. 

  
"I just want you to have fun with me, so please don't think much of what I said, okay? Let's focus on having a fun date!" 

  
"Yeah...” Even though Reiji said that, it was hard to stop thinking about his words. He knew Reiji liked him, yet hadn't really realized the depth of his feelings and desires. 

  
"Let's enjoy the rest of the day!"  Reiji took care of the check and they were off to enjoy more of the amusement park. They went on a lot of rides, and Reiji got Ranmaru to genuinely smile for once, which made him really happy. 

  
They had spent so much time enjoying the rides and each other’s company that the sun was setting. The awkward air from after lunch had completely dissipated. 

  
"You wanted to ride the ferris wheel, yeah?" Ranmaru questioned, squeezing Reiji's hand a little tighter. 

  
"I really do." Reiji beamed and squeezed the rockers hand back. Since the incident earlier they had not been recognized much to their relief and had gone on enjoying themselves. 

  
"Then let's go." Ranmaru lead him to the ferris wheel.  All day it had been Reiji leading Ranmaru around so he was really happy that the other male took the initiative. 

 

Ranmaru was a little nervous because of what Reiji said at the café, but he was also curious if the other male would actually follow through with his desires.

They waited in silence for the next open car, and Reiji was snuggled up to Ranmaru’s side with a smile. Ranmaru was actually surprised no one had said anything about their behavior or tried to oust them for their overly touchy actions at the park. They got into the enclosed car and Reiji cuddled up to Ranmaru’s side. His head rested on the other male’s shoulder. Ranmaru’s usual stoic face had a small smile and it was clear he was also enjoying this.

 

“Thanks for confessing your feelings to me, Reiji.” Ranmaru broke the comfortable silence. “I really enjoyed myself today.” Ranmaru said as he wriggled his arm free of Reiji’s grasp and placed it around the other’s shoulders.

 

“RanRan…” Reiji’s heart skipped a beat at the words the younger male was saying. Ranmaru rarely thanked anybody, let alone revealed his feelings. He had always been a little more open with Reiji than anyone else, but this was shocking for the brunette.

 

“I know I said we would just try it, but calling this a trial wouldn’t be fair to you. We’re actually dating, alright?” Ranmaru said in a low tone, obviously embarrassed and shy, but he still said what needed to be said.

 

“RanRan…” Reiji snuggled closer to the rocker. “Thank you~! This means so much… that you both acknowledge my feelings, as well as reciprocate them.” Reiji leaned up and gently grazed Ranmaru’s neck with his lips. Ranmaru jumped a little and gave Reiji a side glance. “And you’ve really started to open up to me, and that means the world to me that you can be yourself, that you don’t have to act cold and stoic.” Reiji gently kissed the tender skin under Ranmaru’s ear as he spoke. “Be honest and open with me, be yourself even if it may hurt me that’s okay. I’m not here just for the fun times. I’m here for you, in love with you, because I want your everything, Ranmaru.” Reiji breathed, continuing to kiss the other male.

 

“Rei...ji… I…” Ranmaru was at a loss for words and his heart was going crazy in his chest. Reiji _never_ said his full name so it was strange, yet sexy to Ranmaru to hear that. Being so thoroughly confessed to however left him speechless. He didn’t know how to respond as it was clear Reiji’s feelings for him had developed over time into something very strong and passionate. He knew he had feelings for Reiji, but he was still exploring them and realizing his desires.

 

“Kiss me.” Reiji commanded in a seductive tone, moving to kiss along Ranmaru’s jaw line and snaking a hand up his chest. The hand cupped his cheek, and he moved from the others side so he was now straddling his lap. He hovered in front of the others face, waiting for an answer before continuing.

 

“I…” Ranmaru wanted to kiss Reiji but he was hesitant to, because of where they were and the gap in their feeling levels.

 

“You…” Reiji looked into Ranmaru’s mismatched eyes with seductive half lidded deep brown orbs. “Don’t hold back if you want to…”

 

Ranmaru swallowed hard and parted his lips, shakily pressing them to Reiji’s. The previous kiss they shared was much different. Ranmaru had allowed Reiji to kiss him to see if there was a spark between them, and Ranmaru definitely felt it. This time the kiss was mutual and held more meaning for him.

 

“Mnn~!” Reiji smiled into their chaste kiss and wrapped both arms around Ranmaru’s shoulders. Reiji gently bit Ranmaru’s lips, begging for more from the heterochromatic boy. Ranmaru’s eyes fluttered, then squeezed shut as his blush deepened. He parted his lips a little more, giving Reiji the opening he needed and Reiji took the opportunity. He crashed their lips together, gently pressing Ranmaru’s tongue with his own to elicit a reaction from him. Ranmaru tightly grasped onto Reiji’s cheeks and pressed his tongue back against Reiji’s. Ranmaru wasn’t an inexperienced kisser by any means, as Reiji was finding out.

 

Their tongues heatedly explored each other’s mouths and slammed against each other in a flurry of passion. Ranmaru momentarily broke their kiss for air but quickly closed the gap again. It was clear his want for Reiji, and to show him that he wasn’t halfheartedly dating him because he was confessed to.

Reiji could feel himself getting too involved in the kiss, so he broke it and leaned in to rest his forehead on Ranmaru’s shoulder.

 

“Ohh man I’m gonna be the one unable to walk…” He leaned his entire weight forward into Ranmaru, nuzzling his neck.

 

“I was enjoying that…” Ranmaru admitted, his face as red as a cherry.

 

“But you’re _so_ embarrassed…”

 

“Yeah…” Ranmaru pouted with his lip and tightly hugged Reiji’s chest, feeling his warmth.

 

“Hey… we’re at the top!” Reiji smiled. His view was amazing looking from Ranmaru’s shoulder. “Turn around and look!” Reiji made Ranmaru let go of him and turn around in his seat to look at the lights both in the park and the city. The lights weren’t all that amazing, but he had to make sure Ranmaru didn’t notice the slight hard on he had gotten from their heated kiss.

 

“It’s nice.” Ranmaru responded, a slight smile on his redden face.

 

“Breathtaking! Like a concert stage.” He smiled, sitting back beside his boyfriend.

 

“You’re silly.” Ranmaru ruffled Reiji’s hair playfully and smiled.

 

“I know” Reiji laughed as Ranmaru’s large, cold hand messed his hair. Things just felt right when he was at Ranmaru’s side. This entire date was like a dream that he wished would never end. He feared having to hide their relationship and be secretive about it from this point on.

 

“You’re making a weird face.” Ranmaru commented as he placed his arm back around Reiji’s shoulders, and pulled him close again.

 

“You’ll wanna hide our relationship, won’t you…?” Reiji just came out and said it, as there was no point in beating around the bush.

 

“That would make things easier in some aspects but hard in others.” Ranmaru was honest with his response. The blush on his face had dissipated, yet his cool expression was gone and a unique expression which Reiji had never seen before was in its place. “Hiding it would only make it more stressful, and I can see just how hard it was for you to try and hide your feeling from me before, but not hiding it may change our relationships with others we know, and the tabloids would be all over it.” Ranmaru weighed each option out loud.

 

“Still I don’t want to hide it, RanRan.” Reiji reached over Ranmaru’s body to grasp his other hand.

 

“That’s fine.” He shrugged. “We’ll deal with it together.”

 

Reiji couldn’t help but plaster a big smile on his face, as outside of the band he never heard Ranmaru speak such kind, sincere words.

 

“I really love you, Ranmaru.” He squeezed the others hand tight.

 

“Mn…” Ranmaru nodded, his cheeks flushed yet again.


End file.
